Dissipative Soliton Fiber Lasers

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ObjectiveThe objectives of this effort are to develop systematic understanding of dissipative solitons in fiber lasers, and to use that understanding to design femtosecond-pulse lasers with unprecedented performance. Intellectual MeritModern femtosecond-pulse lasers are based on soliton formation, in which nonlinear phase accumulation balances the effects of linear group-velocity dispersion. A group from Cornell University will perform theoretical and experimental studies of a new approach to the generation of ultrashort optical pulses in lasers. The pulses are referred to as dissipative solitons, which balance phase and amplitude changes as they traverse a laser cavity. Research will investigate limits to the pulse energy and duration, and the development of practical lasers for a range of applications. Theorists from the University of Washington will collaborate in this effort. Dissipative solitons are scientifically important as a new example of a nonlinear wave. Fiber lasers offer an ideal setting to study them systematically, and this should greatly increase our experimental knowledge of dissipative solitons. Lasers based on dissipative solitons counter two decades of conventional wisdom by generating femtosecond-duration pulses without intracavity dispersion control or anomalous dispersion.Broader ImpactsThe impact of short-pulse fiber lasers has been limited, because their performance has lagged behind that of solid-state lasers. Dissipative solitons fundamentally allow order-of-magnitude increases in the pulse energy over the current best fiber lasers. The resulting instruments will match or exceed the performance of solid-state lasers while offering the advantages of fiber (the waveguide medium, stability, and reduced cost ) and therefore should have major impact on ultrafast science and technology. Through the nonlinear wave equations that underlie short-pulse propagation, the concepts developed in this project will be relevant to topics ranging from nonlinear dynamical systems to the propagation of nerve impulses in biology.Students will gain experience ranging from theory and numerical simulations to technical aspects of fiber optics. The proposed effort will also be coupled to undergraduate and graduate classroom teaching through demonstrations based on the developed instruments.